Coming from a Unix background, documenting service configurations typically involves managing text-based config files like /etc/postfix/main.cf for mail servers or httpd.conf for Apache. Windows Server presents a different paradigm where configurations are often stored in binary formats, the registry, or Active Directory objects.

For server builds and documentation, PowerShell is your Swiss Army knife. Here's how to capture key configurations:

# Capture IIS Configuration
Get-WebConfiguration -Recurse | Export-Clixml -Path "C:\Docs\IIS_Configuration.xml"

# Export Local Security Policy
secedit /export /cfg C:\Docs\security_policy.inf /areas SECURITYPOLICY

# Document Network Configuration
Get-NetAdapter | Select-Object Name, InterfaceDescription, MacAddress, Status | Export-Csv -Path "C:\Docs\network_config.csv"

For 50+ servers, consider declarative configuration management:

# DSC Configuration Example for Baseline Server
Configuration WebServerBaseline {
    Node "localhost" {
        WindowsFeature IIS {
            Ensure = "Present"
            Name = "Web-Server"
        }
        
        Registry DisableSMB1 {
            Key = "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters"
            ValueName = "SMB1"
            ValueData = "0"
            ValueType = "DWord"
        }
    }
}

Implement these strategies for enterprise-wide consistency:

• Use Get-WmiObject to inventory installed software and patches
• Leverage Export-Clixml for serializing complex objects
• Implement PowerShell transcript logging for all administrative sessions

# Start transcript for documentation
Start-Transcript -Path "C:\Docs\$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd')_config_changes.txt"

Here's how we documented an Exchange Server deployment:

# Exchange Server Configuration Documentation Script
$ExchangeConfig = @{
    ReceiveConnectors = Get-ReceiveConnector | Select-Object Name, Bindings, RemoteIPRanges
    SendConnectors = Get-SendConnector | Select-Object Name, AddressSpaces, SmartHosts
    VirtualDirectories = Get-OwaVirtualDirectory | Select-Object Server, InternalUrl, ExternalUrl
}

$ExchangeConfig | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 5 | Out-File "C:\Docs\Exchange_Config_$(Get-Date -Format 'yyyyMMdd').json"

Coming from a Unix background where services are configured through text files, managing Windows servers can feel like navigating a GUI maze. The core pain points:

• No centralized text-based configuration files
• Manual point-and-click processes breed inconsistencies
• 50+ servers require automated documentation

For Active Directory documentation example:

# Export AD Forest Configuration
Get-ADForest | Export-Clixml -Path "C:\Docs\AD_Forest_Config.xml"

# Document Domain Controllers
Get-ADDomainController -Filter * | 
Select-Object Name,IPv4Address,OperatingSystem,Site |
Export-Csv -Path "C:\Docs\DC_Inventory.csv"

# Backup Group Policy settings
Backup-GPO -All -Path "C:\Docs\GPO_Backup"

For Exchange Server configuration management:

# Exchange Server role requirements
$ExchangeParams = @{
    Name               = "EXCH01"
    CustomerFeedbackEnabled = $false
    InternetWebProxy   = "http://proxy.contoso.com:8080"
    MonitoringGroup    = "Primary"
}

Set-ExchangeServer @ExchangeParams

# Document current settings
Get-ExchangeServer | Get-ExchangeSettings | 
ConvertTo-Json -Depth 5 | Out-File "Exchange_Config.json"

Using DSC for consistent builds:

configuration WebServerConfig {
    Node "WEB*" {
        WindowsFeature IIS {
            Ensure = "Present"
            Name   = "Web-Server"
        }

        Registry DisableWeakCiphers {
            Key       = "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Ciphers\RC4 128/128"
            ValueName = "Enabled"
            ValueData = "0"
            ValueType = "Dword"
        }
    }
}

WebServerConfig -OutputPath "C:\DSC_Configs"

Comprehensive system inventory script:

$ComputerInfo = Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_ComputerSystem
$OSInfo = Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_OperatingSystem
$NetworkInfo = Get-NetAdapter | Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Up"}

$Documentation = [PSCustomObject]@{
    ServerName      = $ComputerInfo.Name
    Manufacturer    = $ComputerInfo.Manufacturer
    OSVersion       = $OSInfo.Caption
    LastBootTime    = $OSInfo.LastBootUpTime
    NetworkConfig   = $NetworkInfo | Select-Object Name,InterfaceDescription,MacAddress
}

$Documentation | Export-Clixml -Path "C:\ServerDocs\$($ComputerInfo.Name)_Config.xml"

For environments requiring GUI documentation:

• LANsweeper for automated asset tracking
• Microsoft System Center for configuration baselines
• Ansible/Puppet for cross-platform consistency

Example Git workflow for PowerShell scripts:

# Initialize repo for server configs
mkdir ServerConfigs && cd ServerConfigs
git init

# Add your documentation scripts
git add *.ps1
git commit -m "Initial server documentation scripts"

# Set up scheduled commits
schtasks /create /tn "Git Config Backup" /tr "powershell.exe -File C:\Scripts\GitBackup.ps1" /sc DAILY